MoreThe EPA in the Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010 Federal
Register noted it has published further information and data in
the docket for the agency's proposed rule concerning the disposal of
coal combustion residuals, or coal ash, from electric utilities. The agency is seeking
public comment on how, if at all, this additional information should affect the
agency's decisions as it develops a final rule.
The info includes a copy of responses to information collection requests that agency sent to electric utilities on their coal combustion residual surface impoundments, as well as reports and materials related to the site assessments that the EPA has conducted on a subset of these impoundments.
After the failure of the coal combustion residual (CCR) surface impoundment at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston facility in December 2008, the EPA undertook an effort to assess the structural integrity of the other CCR surface impoundments. This effort had three components: (1) An information collection request (ICR) that was sent to facilities known to have surface impoundments or similar management units asking for specific information on the structural stability of those units; (2) on-site assessments of the structural integrity of these units; and (3) reports and recommendations for actions at the facility.
The ICRs were sent out in March, April and December of 2009 to electric utilities that have surface impoundments or similar management units that contain CCRs. The ICRs were posted when they were sent, so some have been online for some time.
This totaled 228 facilities and 629 surface impoundments and similar management units. The hazard potential ratings do not assess the stability of these units; rather, the ratings assess the potential for loss of life or environmental and economic damage. Units rated as having a "High" potential hazard are those where failure will probably cause loss of life.
Of the 629 units, 200 (32 percent) have been given a hazard potential rating using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams criteria. Of those, 50 units (25 percent) are rated as having a High hazard potential; 71 units (36 percent) are rated as having a Significant, and 71 units (36 percent) are rated as having a Low hazard potential; eight units (4 percent) are rated as having a less than low hazard potential.
The EPA is still in the process of completing these assessments; however, the agency is placing the data that are currently available in the docket for the rulemaking, and is soliciting public comment on these data in connection with this rulemaking.
DATES: Submit comments on or before November 19, 2010.
SOURCE: Federal Register
The info includes a copy of responses to information collection requests that agency sent to electric utilities on their coal combustion residual surface impoundments, as well as reports and materials related to the site assessments that the EPA has conducted on a subset of these impoundments.
After the failure of the coal combustion residual (CCR) surface impoundment at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston facility in December 2008, the EPA undertook an effort to assess the structural integrity of the other CCR surface impoundments. This effort had three components: (1) An information collection request (ICR) that was sent to facilities known to have surface impoundments or similar management units asking for specific information on the structural stability of those units; (2) on-site assessments of the structural integrity of these units; and (3) reports and recommendations for actions at the facility.
The ICRs were sent out in March, April and December of 2009 to electric utilities that have surface impoundments or similar management units that contain CCRs. The ICRs were posted when they were sent, so some have been online for some time.
This totaled 228 facilities and 629 surface impoundments and similar management units. The hazard potential ratings do not assess the stability of these units; rather, the ratings assess the potential for loss of life or environmental and economic damage. Units rated as having a "High" potential hazard are those where failure will probably cause loss of life.
Of the 629 units, 200 (32 percent) have been given a hazard potential rating using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams criteria. Of those, 50 units (25 percent) are rated as having a High hazard potential; 71 units (36 percent) are rated as having a Significant, and 71 units (36 percent) are rated as having a Low hazard potential; eight units (4 percent) are rated as having a less than low hazard potential.
The EPA is still in the process of completing these assessments; however, the agency is placing the data that are currently available in the docket for the rulemaking, and is soliciting public comment on these data in connection with this rulemaking.
DATES: Submit comments on or before November 19, 2010.
SOURCE: Federal Register
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